Published 5:17 pm, Saturday, October 24, 2015

When things get tough on the basketball court, all Midland College’s Bryce Ervin has to do is think about his mother.

Ervin’s mother, Cynthia, has had multiple sclerosis as long as he could remember.

The youngest of five children, Ervin recalls seeing other kids at the park playing with their moms. It hurt at first, but eventually he got used to it and they learned they could do other fun things.

“She can’t really walk that well and do the things she wants to do,” said Ervin, a 6-foot-2 sophomore point guard from Houston. “That just drives me to go work hard for her. If she had the ability to do things she would do it. I just can’t take anything for granted because I know it can be taken all away.”

When Midland College begins its season later this week, Ervin will use that drive to help the Chaparrals try to get back to the postseason for the first time in five years.

For Ervin, nothing has come easy in his time at Midland College.

He was originally a walk-on in head coach Jordan Dreiling’s first year at MC.

Dreiling said a former college roommate at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Blake Joy, was coaching Ervin at Pearland Dawson and asked him to take Ervin as a walk-on.

“He called me and said, ‘This kid has got to get stronger, there’s a lot of development that needs to take place but he’s a college basketball player,’” Dreiling recalled. “‘If you take him as a walk-on you won’t have one day where you’ll regret it.’ And he’s exactly right. I haven’t had a conversation with him since then where I didn’t thank him for sending me Bryce Ervin. He’s gotten me through some tough days and has celebrated some neat successes with me.”

Ervin eventually went from a walk-on, to getting a little playing time last year, to the projected starting point guard going into the season.

“I’ve improved tremendously,” Ervin said. “Through watching film, with the things I wasn’t that good at, I’ve improved. And this preseason I’ve been doing really well. Even when I go back home, my friends tell me how much I’ve improved.”

Dreiling said Ervin has earned everything he’s gotten.

“He’s not a kid who takes anything for granted, he’s not a kid who’s entitled, he is a wonderful young man whose sky’s the limit because of his work ethic and his character,” Dreiling said. “For being as young as he is, he has that high expectation, he has that chip on his shoulder. As of right now, he’s our point guard. There are other guys who are right there with him but he’s definitely a leader and a captain of this team.”

Because of his experience, Dreiling is also counting on Ervin to help the 13 newcomers -- including 10 transfers -- adjust to play and life in the always-tough Western Junior College Athletic Conference.

“I think his greatest attribute is that he’s been good about helping to prepare the guys what they’re in for,” Dreiling said. “We’ve got to train for the race we’re about to run. It’s a difficult one and Bryce knows that. Bryce is constantly talking to the guys about how good we have to be.”

Ervin said that experience has helped him become a more vocal leader this year.

“This year I have really stepped up and became a leader because I’ve been through it,” he said. “I’ve been through the conference and I know what it takes and I feel I can be a respectable leader because I’ve been through it, I work hard and I think guys will follow that. “

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CHAPS AT A GLANCE

Head coach: Jordan Dreiling, 3rd year (28-31 at Midland College, 78-46 in four years overall)

Coach’s quote: “Collectively we have a group who’s here for a reason. They’re here to compete to win a championship and they’re here to graduate and move on to a great university. The guys seem to understand that the better we do as a team the more individual recruitment is going to increase. The best teams understand that. There’s a direct correlation between how much you win and how much you get recruited.”

Notes: The Chaparrals have 13 newcomers that include 10 transfers. Three are from NCAA Division I programs: Francis (Wisconsin-Green Bay), Rollins (Western Illinois), Efferson (Cal Northridge) and the other seven are from other junior college programs from around the country. Dreiling said the biggest challenge is getting the transfers to adjust to the new terminology and buy into playing for each other.” Right now we’re working on being everyday guys,” Dreiling said. “The guys that bring the same focus, the same attitude to practice every day. I think we’re progressing and getting better at it every day.”